Wire Recap

I spoke to a good friend from highschool today and she pointed out that I hadn't written my normal Wire write up. And I am glad that she brought it up because I had so much to say.

When the season finale - and the shows finale - ended on Sunday, I found myself at a loss for words. The reality is, I am invested, in the show and in the characters. So, I felt disappointed because a saga, an era, ended. Unreasonably early (although, how many dynamic plots can they come up with - even the Wire writers can't keep pulling this high caliber stuff together). So I watched it again, and let it soak in before I came up with what I wanted to say. But here are my thoughts of the overall season:

1. I didn't want Omar to die like he did. Let that man go out in a blaze of glory - he was the glue to the show. Kinard pops him in the head? Are you kiddin me? Kinard? I want to take a belt to that bad ass lil negro myself.

2. As I stated before, didn't Snoop and Michael pull off a "Godfatheresque" showdown. That was a classic. Yo, how my hair look Mike?

3. Do the police ever get it right? Yeah McNulty and Freeman were wrong, but you got the drugs, you got the money, and some real police work got done. Who knew the tug of war between political gain and policing was so tight. But two NATURAL PO-PO are out of the game for nothing.

4. Who I would have loved to see one more time: Stringer Bell. Stringer Bell. Stringer Bell. oh, let me move on. did I say Stringer Bell yet? ALso Bode - my favorite street thug. Wallace, the youngun Bode killed. But, all the characters I luv the most were killed off, so no hope in seeing them again.

5. Wasn't it smooth how they cameo'd in everyone - from Avon and Wee Bay to the police oficer who used to sleep all the time (working the evidence room when they went to get the cell phone). Very clever. Shardine showed back up - but I woulda like to see Avon's sister too.

6. How heartbreaking is it that they only gave Michael and the drug dealer consortium one or two scenes in the final episode. What was that about. I wanted some more street - I wanted to see the streets reaction to Snoop, wanted to see how Michael is living now, I wanted to know if he is just going to wild out, or is he on his way to Marloism.

7. Was Michael wrong for dumping Duquan? My girlfirend and I were talking about it. I think that Duquan was already using drugs and Michael knew it. I mean, why else would he ask to go stay with the geekers and Michael actually take thime there. Speakin gof which, how pathetic was Duquan. My goodness. That baby boy didn't have an ounce of confidence - he tried to hold onto a little pride. Example of Excellent writing: when Duquan reminsces on last summer when they threw piss balloons at the other boys and Michael doesn't remember it. Duquan still a child, Michael had become a traind killer. Classic.

8. Doesn't Carver owe Randy something? I mean, while he is becoming real police, shouldn't he remember the kid who paid an awful price for dealing with him (becuase he handed the case - and the kids life- over to a jerk like Hurk (pun intended))

9. Does anyone else but me think that Cedric (Acting Commander) is gross? That is one brotha I don't mind not seeing again. It's not really that he is unattractive per se, its that stiff board thing he's got going on, walking all awkward and pronouncing his words unecessarily hard. Everytime he talks I cringe. I mean, didn't you not mind when he started dating the white girl. I actually felt sorry for her. Him, I won't miss.

10. I was a big fan of the Baltimore Sun copy editor. He played the hell out of that role. I wanted him to bust the crooked reported, but, it played out just like it would have in real life.

11. The Wire staff mustlike nonemotional, blase type woman. Was it just me or was Alma (the journalist) simply Kima in Spanish? And how does Kima - who used to beat down brothas "illegally" turn into the snitch. Very interesting. Maybe she is tapping into a sensitive side now that she's "gettin her kid" for the weekend. (You know it annoyed me that she said it like that)

12. Im lovin Slim for the final shot of the season. The old man was the funniest "This sentimental ___ is costing us money" - hilarious, the Wire style. Speaking of which, how pissed off are the Greeks that they allowed Joe to be killed and now the connect is in shambles. Why didn't they put a hit on Marlo. They were way to efficient to allow Marlo to sell the conect for 10 million too.

Overall- I thought they got the ending just right. There is no satisfaction. There isn't black and white justice. Life is circular and the game stays the same the players are just different. Marlo - the rawest thug ever, ends the show suited up and making deals- just like Stringer. Chris, the silent murderer you definitely want on your side, takes all the heat, just like Wee Bay did years ago. Method Man is just another traitor gone wrong. Michael morphs into a version of Omar - he no doubt can be a street legend too. Just hope he stays on our team - despite what Bugs daddy did to him. Duquan could never be more than the junkie he was born to be. Well, he might have if he had reached out to Presbo for help when he first dropped out. But, after all the job searching, he winds up going right to the geekers anyway. The future Bubbles. The black cop that used to work with Freeman is ratting politicians out to the judge, just like McNulty. Of the four boys isn't just like life that Naman, the one who was kinda a punk (no real heart for street life), but the loudest, most bullyish, best dressed, most spoiled, is also the one who gets the help of Bunny and is going to be alright. Like my friend said today - the ones with a little something have a chance if they get help. But children like Duquan, they inevitably get lost before this game every gets started. Different players, same game. Perfect mirror to real life.

Im gonna miss it.

Creation

I thought I would share what goes on in the mind of an author - or in my mind at least. During the day, I dummy down, focus on whatever "the man" (really meaning the system) needs me to do to be a productive citizen. I don't mind, I enjoy my job, I am beginning to see my career blossom. But, every now and then, in brief sessions of downtime, a characters conversation will play out in my mind, or an interaction. Like watching a movie really. I can't lay claim to most of my fiction, the characters play themselves out before me.

After the evening whirlwind of homework, piano practice/lessons (I am teaching it right now, ballet and tap, tennis, and whatever else our crew is into, then I began to put everyone to bed. Now during this process, I enjoy my little ones, but,I began to look forward to stealing minuets at my computer and fleshing out the story. It's like anticipation that forbidden long awaited bowl of ice cream. Not outright excitement, but a content satisfaciton feeling.

Now sometimes a story or, more likely, a poem will only ive me a brief moment to capture it. Tha tis, the first lines will appear to me and if I don't type them or write them down, their gone. Like today, I got locked out the house and as I waited in the back the following lines formed: Your love, so lush, dribbling, soft, plump, and overripened fruit, waiting...But, while I was waiting for the next lines to po in my head, I was distracted by a cat that perched itself in the middle of my yard and looked at me anxiously, as if I had invaded his territory. My mind switched to the cat, I started thinking about the scene from Fallen the movie, and forgot the rest of the poem.

But anyway, I feel tht calm type of thrill and I sit down and type out what is playing in my mind. Now, I don't see characters. Which means I cannot tell you , really, facial features. I know them from the inside out, how they think, how they respond. And that's where I write from. So you will get a lot less about there wardrobe from me (cause most times I can't see it anyway) and much more about whats in their heart.

For example, I have this erotic story playing around my mind. Its been lingering for the past two days, so I need to jot it down. A man and a woman are in a sandwich shop. They are friends, but he is discussing the lack of passion he feels with his wife. She laments about the overpassionate, but connected on no other level, relationship she is in. And so the story plays form there.

So, that is how most of my stories are created....